The Fourth War
by GARxsBK201
Summary: Their lives were sacrificed for others, and they both regret their choices. The same ideal, and a terrible plan to undo their mistakes. After all, you cannot die if you were never alive, and you cannot fail when you remain untested. One wish, one war
1. Chapter 1: Beginnings

Note: Most of this was ripped off of the actual Fate/zero. However, this will not be for later chapters.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. This is all Type-Moon

EDIT: I fixed the formatting. The paragraphs used to _not_ have separators, due to some formatting error. This should be fixed by noe

Let me tell the story of a certain man.

The tale of a man who, more than anyone else, believed in his ideals, and was driven to despair by them.

The dream of that man was pure.

His wish was for everyone in this world to be happy; this was all that he asked for.

It is a childish ideal that all young boys grow attached to at least once, one that they abandon when they grow accustomed to the mercilessness of reality.

Any happiness requires a sacrifice, something all children learn when they become adults.

But, that man was different.

Maybe he was just the most foolish of all. Maybe he was broken somewhere. Or maybe, he might have been of the kind we call 'Saints', entrusted with God's will. One that common people cannot understand.

He knew that for any existence in this world, the only two alternatives are sacrifice or salvation...

After understanding that, he would never be able to empty the scale plates...

From that day on, he set his mind to work on being the one to tip the scale.

Kill a dozen to save hundreds.

Kill hundreds to save thousands.

Kill thousands to save millions…

To abate the grief in this world, there was no other, more efficient way.

---o---

**8 Years ago…**

Even when he was with someone precious to him, he would always seem to be mourning.

And now, the man is being inflicted with the greatest punishment.

Outside the window, a snow storm has frozen everything. A mid-winter night is congealing the ground of a forest.

The room is in an old castle built on the frozen soil, but it is protected by a gentle flame burning in the fireplace.

In the warmth of that shelter, Emiya Kiritsugu was holding one new existence in his arms.

It was a really small one — a body so tiny, it could be ephemeral and no weight that could tell it was ready.

A delicate response can be dangerous, as with the first snow scooped by hand, which would crumble with a mere jolt.

In frail eagerness, the child preserves her body temperature by sleeping, breathing leniently. That is all that the modest throbbing of the chest can do at the moment.

"Don't worry, she's sleeping."

As he lifts the baby in his arms, the mother, resting her body on the couch, smiles upon father and child.

From the haggard look of the child, she wasn't fine yet, and her complexion wasn't perfect, but even so, her beautiful face reminiscent of a jewel doesn't decline in any way.

Above all, the color of bliss brightens her smile and erases the exhaustion that should wear out her gentle look.

"She would always be difficult and cry, even with the nurses she should have gotten accustomed to. It's the first time she's let herself be held so quietly... She understands, doesn't she? That it is fine because you are a good man."

"..."

Without answering, dumbfounded, the man compares the mother on the bed with the child in his arms. Had Irisviel's smile ever looked that dazzling?

She originally was a woman of little happiness. Nobody would have thought of giving her that feeling called happiness. She wasn't a creation of Gods; she was created at the hands of men... As a homunculus, such a treatment was normal for that woman. Irisviel had never had any wish.

Created as a puppet, brought up as a puppet, maybe she never even understood the meaning of happiness to begin with.

And, now — she is beaming.

"I'm really glad I had this child."

Quietly bringing forth her love, Irisviel von Einzbern spoke, watching over the sleeping child.

"From now on, she will be first and foremost an imitation of a human. It may be tough, and she might hate the mother who gave her such a painful life. But, despite that, I am happy. This child is lovely; she is splendid."

Her appearance is nothing unusual, and, looking at her, she is a lovely baby, yet —

While inside the mother's womb, a number of magical treatments were conducted on the unborn body, to rearrange it so that, even more than her mother, she was different from humans. Although it was born, its usefulness was restricted, so that it would be a body that is a mere cluster of magic circuits. This was the true nature of Irisviel's beloved daughter.

Despite such a cruel birth, Irisviel still says, "Fine." Giving birth to such a thing, being born as such a thing, she loves this existence, finds pride in it, and smiles.

The reason for that strength, that bracing heart, was that she was, without a doubt, a "Mother".

The girl who could just be a puppet found love and became a woman, and found an unswayable strength as a mother. Shet must have had the look of a "happiness" that nobody could invade. Right then, the bedroom of the mother and child protected by the warmth of the fireplace was indifferent to all despair and sorrow.

But — the man knew better. That to the world he was part of, the snowstorm outside the window was the most appropriate.

"Iri, I —"

By firing one single word, the man's chest felt like it was pierced through by a blade. That blade was the peaceful, sleeping face of the baby, and the dazzling smile of the mother.

"Someday, Iri, I…I will be the cause of your death."

As he felt like vomiting blood, Irisviel nodded with a peaceful expression to his declaration.

"I understand. Of course. That is the earnest wish of the Einzberns. That is what I am for."

That was the future that was already decided.

After 8 years pass, the man would take his wife to her place of demise. As the one to be killed in order to save many, Irisviel von Einzbern was to be the sacrifice devoted to Emiya Kiritsugu's ideal.

---o---

**Present Day**

"The holy relic we requested people to find in Cornwall finally arrived this morning."

While stroking his white beard which would make people think of a frozen waterfall, the head of the Einzbern family, Jubstacheit "Acht" von Einzbern, stared at Kiritsugu with an astute light radiating from within his deep eye sockets. This light within his eyes made it impossible to see his senility. Despite having been a resident of this old castle for almost ten years, Kiritsugu never could tolerate the feeling of biased pressure from the family head's eyes every time he meets him.

In the corner indicated by the old family head's hand, a sacrificial altar has a very large charcoal colored box tied ridiculously tight atop it.

"Using this as a catalyst, it's probably possible to summon the strongest 'Heroic Spirit of the Sword', Saber. Kiritsugu, count this as the Einzbern family's greatest aid to you."

Pretending to be expressionless, Kiritsugu bowed deeply.

The Holy Grail seemed to have accepted the wish of the Einzberns to break the rule that had been set since its founding, inducting external blood into the family. The Command Seal appeared on Kiritsugu's right hand three years ago. Soon he would shoulder the thousand-year-old zealous wish of the Einzbern family and participate in the upcoming fourth Heaven's Feel.

The old head of family turned his eyes to Irisviel, who was facing downwards respectfully.

"Irisviel, what's the status of the vessel?"

"There are no problems. Even in Fuyuki, it will function properly," Irisviel answered fluently.

"This time, no one must survive," said Acht, eyes shining. "Kill all six Servants. This time we must acquire the Third Magic, the Golden Grail."

"Yes, sir!" replied husband and wife.

But…

…in his heart, Kiritsugu could care less about this old head of family's rigid desire.

_It doesn't matter. As per your expectations, through my hands I will grant you your sought-after Holy Grail…_

_But… _

…_that's not all._

_I will use that omnipotent chalice to grant my own deepest wish..._

---o---

Kiritsugu and Irisviel went back to their own room, and opened the long box entrusted to them by the head of family.

"Who would've thought they would actually be able to find it..."

The usually composed Kiritsugu was deeply impressed.

A scabbard.

Made of gold and decorated with dazzling blue enamel; this sort of luxurious artifact should be called a treasure to show dignity and nobility like a crown or a scepter as opposed to a weapon. Engraved into the middle is an inscription of the long lost Fairy Letters, proving this scabbard was not a work of man.

"... Why isn't there the slightest flaw?" asked Irisviel. "Is this really the genuine relic, made in an era over a thousand years ago?"

"This thing is a type of Conceptual Weapon," replied Kiritsugu. "It definitely won't deteriorate physically, not mentioning that it's a holy relic that can be used as a catalyst. This treasure lies in the realm of magic."

Irisviel took the golden scabbard from the box carefully, holding it in her hands.

"Legend says keeping this scabbard on one's body will heal the wounds of its possessor and can stop aging... of course, the mentioned facts are magical powers provided by its 'original owner.'"

"Meaning as long as the Heroic Spirit summoned is functional, this scabbard itself can be used as a 'Master's Noble Phantasm.'"

The scabbard's one of a kind ingenious design and exceptional beauty entranced Kiritsugu, but in just a few moments, his train of thought immediately changed to the direction of how to use it as a pragmatic 'tool.' Watching Kiritsugu, Irisviel can't help but let out a small bitter smile.

---o---

At the same time, in the distant castle of the Einsberns, Emiya Kiritsugu was examining the completed state of the summoning circle scribed on the floor of the ceremony room.

"Would such a simple ritual suffice?"

For Irisviel, who was standing aside overlooking the procedure, it was surprising that the preparations were so plain.

"Maybe you are disappointed, but the summoning of Servants never needed an extravagant spiritual evocation ceremony, anyway," Kiritsugu explained as he carefully checked for twists and smudges on the patterns drawn with mercury. "Because it is not the power of the magus that summons the Servant, but the power of the Holy Grail. As a Master I am only a cord that connects the Heroic Spirit with the world we reside in, and then merely provide him with mana necessary for materialization in this world."

As if satisfied with the completed state of the summoning circle, Kiritsugu nodded and stood up. The holy relic was placed on the altar – the sheath of the legendary holy sword.

"According to this, victory should be within our grasp."

---o---

On that day, seven different incantations from different lands, directed at different entities, were chanted almost simultaneously, a harmony so coincidental it can hardly be regarded as a coincidence.

For all the seven magi have the same goal.

Hope for a miracle. The summons pronounced to the heroes on the other side of the universe by these humans, who would brutally slaughter each other to achieve their goals, were ringing out from the earth at the same time…

But something went wrong.

Although seven magi called seven different entities, _eight _answered the call.

---o---

"Kiritsugu! Are you alright!?"

Kiritsugu sighed, closing his eyes.

The summoning had been a failure.

Where the summoning circle used to be, there was now a smoldering crater.

The room was filled with smoke, and it was hard to see farther then a few meters ahead of him.

"I…failed."

The disappointment was crushing.

Years of eager preparations down the drain.

As the smoke began to clear, however, Kiritsugu's eyes widened.

Sitting on a large piece of rubble, a man, eyes closed, dressed in red and black, was saying…

"My, my… what a wonderful master I've been given…"

The man smirked, and started to get up, opening his eyes as he went.

As the man's eyes spotted Kiritsugu, however, they widened in shock, and, ridiculous as it might sound, _recognition._

"Wha…? What the hell is—!?"

The man's question was interrupted, however, as another figure emerged from the smoke, and asked

"Servant Saber," the girl announced, and then looked Kiritsugu in the eye. "I ask of you, are you my Master?"


	2. Chapter 2: Contact Established

NOTE: I know, I know, lots of errors in first chapter, but what do you expect? I didn't think the Upload Manager would screw the files up _that _much.

And, in this fic, both Saber and Archer have been summoned into the Saber class.

It might go against canon, I'm not sure, but I _just don't care._

Besides, we all know how messed up the Holy Grail War is.

Also:

chaos5121: If you look closely enough at my username, you'll find out why I chose this plot. You might even see what pairing I have in mind. (If it wasn't that obvious already)

gaijin12: Hilarious and wonderful. Two of my three primary traits. The third being insanity, the link between the two previous traits.

Anyway, getting on with chapter 2…

---o---

**Inside the Einzbern Castle, sealed in ice…**

That day, the old castle, deep in the mountains, was released from the constant snowstorms of the region. There are no flying birds, green plants, or bare patches of earth. Everything has been covered by snow. However, despite this, it is remarkably brighter than the days when the sky whitens with snow.

On those days, no matter how busy or tired Kiritsugu was, he goes out together with Ilya, in order to play in the forest outside of the castle.

"Alright," said Ilya, now eight-years old, with a determined look on her face. "Today, I will not lose!"

She and Kiritsugu were playing a game, one where they search for the first sprouts to pop up in winter. The year's score was twelve to nine, in favor of Ilya. The total count of sprouts for the year was 427 for Ilya, against Kiritsugu's 374.

Ilyasviel had to hurry. Watching over her, Kiritsugu couldn't help but smile bitterly. Checking one by one which winter sprout her father had found, the girl can see her impending defeatfor today. Apparently, today is the day she will have to reveal the full reach of her skills.

"Ah, here. Ilya found one too~"

Kiritsugu giggled wickedly from behind the merry Ilya.

"Fuhuhu, daddy found a second one too."

This time, Ilya sprang like a sprayed cat.

"Show me! Show me!?"

This time, her girlish pride is at stake if she wants to claim she doesn't miss anything. Actually, she didn't miss any. Only the one she is up against is childishly cunning.

Ilya's expected reaction, 10 seconds later, had Kiritsugu suppress his laughter as he pointed at what he said was his "second" winter bud.

"Eh— ? That branch doesn't have walnuts, right?"

What Kiritsugu pointed at is a branch Ilya hadn't considered it to be her target until then.

"No no, Ilya, this branch is a wingnut, a variety of walnut. So that too is the winter bud of a walnut."

As if she had been tricked by a fox, Ilyasviel remained silent for 2 or 3 seconds, then she shouted, her cheeks all red.

"Not fair, not fair not fair not fair! Kiritsugu, that was mean!"

As a matter of fact, he was indeed unfair. Since before the last time, Kiritsugu was counting the wingnuts with the walnuts. Not only was it fake, it was indeed a foul play.

"Oh, but if daddy doesn't do that, he'll never win."

"B-but…But that… _That's cheating!_"

---o---

From a window of Einzbern castle, a pair of jade eyes were watching over the distant figures of father and child, playing at the edge of the forest.

The young woman by the window was far from weak or transient. She had blonde hair, light and soft, and was wearing a medieval styled dress, which wrapped around her slender physique.

It suited her; however, the atmosphere surrounding her stiffens, due to her intense rigor; although, instead of emanating the cold feeling of ice, she exuded the coolness of a stream, flowing from a mountain spring.

She was one that somehow didn't belong in the cold isolation of the secluded Einzbern castle.

"If you don't mind me asking, _Saber_," asked a deep voice, heavily laced with sarcasm, coming from the doorway. "What are you looking at?"

The servant at the door smirked. He had put heavy emphasis on the other servant's (and his) class designation, in order to infuriate her.

Indeed, they had been placed in a rather awkward situation, which none of them, the Magi in the Einzbern family included, could explain.

_Although, _thought the Counter Guardian to himself, _That's probably only because they bought my amnesia story._

Saber, the female one, turned around.

"Kiritsugu and Ilyasviel are playing outside, by the forest," replied Saber, a controlled expression on her face. "He seems…different. He's usually cold and indifferent..."

Doubtful and perplexed, her beauty is not impaired by the frown on her face.

_Actually_, _it kind of makes her look…cute, _mused the red knight.

Walking over to the window, the Counter Guardian from the future, the man who would inherit Emiya Kiritsugu's ideal, the man, who, sometime in the near future, would undergo a forging, of sorts, and have his body and mind sculpted into a weapon itself, walked to the window.

Deviating from his usual sarcastic and cynical behavior, Counter Guardian Emiya Shirou said, in a low voice:

"Let's hope he won't end up like us."

---o---

The Saber who was, in her life, Arturia, looked up.

The irritatingly sarcastic man, who, until now, had not given his name, had a serious look on his face.

If that wasn't confusing enough, what he said was… cryptic, to say the least.

As Arturia opened her mouth to ask a question, however, the man had put a sarcastic smirk on his face once again.

"You're surprised to see Kiritsugu like that, aren't you?" asked the Counter Guardian, looking at Arturia with a knowing look.

Arturia suppressed the urge to punch the man in the face, straightened up, and once again directed her gaze out the window, nodding.

From her position, after all, she couldn't see the girl's face, and barely saw the silver hair inherited from her mother; but the shrieking voice she heard just before they left her field of vision was, certainly, overflowing with joy. Just that was enough to guess the harmony between the frolicking father and daughter.

"To be honest," began Arturia, talking in a low tone. "I was under the impression that our Master was a more…_coldhearted_…person."

At this, the red knight nodded thoughtfully, his previous smirk gone.

"There's a reason why he's like that, you know."

Arturia's façade faltered, a frown creasing her brow.

Since her- since _their_ – summoning, Kiritsugu had barely talked to the knights.

Worse still, was that, when Kiritsugu _did _talk to them, he directed most of his attention at the unknown knight, and completely ignored Arturia.

The fact that her master ignored the King of Knights and chose a nameless, not to mention _rude_, 'heroic' spirit over her…

Although she wouldn't show any of it, she was definitely highly dissatisfied with the attitude of the two. Obviously, the Kiritsugu she knew to was far different from the man playing with his daughter outside the castle.

As for the other man, though…

He was overly sarcastic, and cynical, annoyingly so. Arturia had not discovered anything that could allude to the man's past life, but despite that…

She felt… _attached_… to the knight in red, as well.

This did nothing but irritate her even further.

"If this is Kiritsugu's true face… We must've done something to anger him, unknowingly," said Arturia, the frown still creasing her face.

She knew better then to ask about the red knight and his past, knowing she would get another sarcastic response.

"'_We _must've done something wrong'?" asked her 'partner', chuckling, smirking at Arturia.

"This isn't funny."

"…I'm sorry," said the red knight, looking out the window again. "I was wondering if you were still upset over the summoning."

Arturia sighed.

"A little," she admitted. "I understand that my appearance is different from expected… But it shouldn't be that surprising, right?"

Despite her royal appearance, Arturia truly looked like a girl barely past her teens. When she and the red knight had appeared in the glowing summoning circle, both Kiritsugu and Irisviel had been struck speechless to learn that it was Arturia, and not the red knight, that was King Arthur.

That was to be expected. The heroic spirit King Arthur had been recorded in history as a man.

The owner of the golden scabbard from Cornwall, that is, the one known as the sole bearer of the holy sword Excalibur; nobody would have guessed that the heroic spirit of King Arthur was actually a girl.

"Well…" began the red knight, scratching his head as he spoke. "Your legend's rather well known, and it _has _been dramatized for over a thousand years… There's probably a huge difference between your appearance and the image that Irisviel and Kiritsugu had of the legendary King Arthur."

Arturia's frown deepened.

It was slightly upsetting that the red knight knew her true identity, and was fully aware of her legend. That meant that he also had a good idea of her combat abilities.

She, however, was almost completely in the dark about the person that was to support her in the war.

But… there was one thing she had observed about this red knight.

He had abilities inferior to hers, at least, combat-wise.

But he was always laid back when interacting with her, as if he never considered her as a potential threat.

Either this man was incredibly stupid, or was hiding some ability that could defeat her with little or no effort.

Pushing the irrelevant thoughts away, Arturia had a more important question then the ones that were running in circles around her head.

"Does Kiritsugu… hate me for my womanhood?" she asked in a dry voice. "Because I am not worthy of a sword?"

The red knight looked at her, with a strange expression on his face, and then burst out laughing.

Arturia tapped her foot, impatient. What she would give for the chance to punch the man…

"You couldn't be more wrong," said the red knight, as he straightened up, finished laughing. "He understands your power. He isn't as foolish as to underestimate a heroic spirit, and one in the Saber class, at that."

As Arturia was about to ask the man to explain, he continued, saying:

"However, there's just the one thing: Emiya Kiritsugu and the Heroic Spirit Arturia Pendragon are incompatible. Kiritsugu's tactics are to strike the enemy from behind, when they least expect it, and your code of chivalry or whatever you call it, deems his tactics dishonorable."

The red knight turned away from the window, and started walking to the door.

"Of course," he added, his hand on the door. "I don't exactly follow a code of my own… But I think he wants to be safe that we won't disrupt his plans, so he's going to send us with Irisviel, instead."

"I see," mumbled Arturia in response. "Thank you for elaborating."

"No problem," was the response as the red knight walked out the door.

---o---

**Fuyuki City Train Station**

The housing district at the East of the Miongawa is a new town reclaimed from a once empty wasteland; it is different from the history the Miyama town originally has, but it is being refined in a large-scale redevelopment project from the government to build a modern business district over the ancient site.

The buildings in the area planned as a business district are only 40% complete, but the construction of the park and shopping mall in front of the station is already complete; the future plans are for the Shinto district to be clean and mineral, pompous with no individuality. The city hall is also being moved, piece by piece, to Shinto, revived with modern iron, glass and mortar, stealing all central municipal functions from Miyama.

The district is always crowded, even more so during the holidays. In the middle of the swaying crowd, cowering from the northern wind, Emiya Kiritsugu disappeared, colorless and odorless without attracting any attention.

His shirt and coat, worn for a long time, and his lack of baggage, give him a slacking appearance that wouldn't make you think of someone who has just flown in. As a matter of fact, he has been like that since he walked in the country up to Shinto in Fuyuki, but Japan still remains his native country. Being used to coming and going, he still felt better in this country.

With a complex feeling, Kiritsugu looked down on the cigarette paper package he had just bought from a vending machine at the station.

It's been 9 years since he has stopped smoking. He hasn't been able to find his favorite brand in the far land of the Einsberns, but his wife and child were contributing factors, as well. As soon as he arrived in Fuyuki, prepared for battle, he had thrown a coin in the vending machine out of habit.

He breaks open the cigarette pack. The white of the row of filters was dazzling.

He put one in his mouth and lit it. As if there wasn't a blank of 10 years, he was able to redo the movements naturally. He got used to the taste of the smoke, the aroma that filled his lungs, as if he had been doing it just the day before.

Kiritsugu looks around at the transformed scenery, frowning.

He had visited Fuyuki under cover three years earlier, but the face of Shinto has completely changed since then. This wasn't unexpected, but it had changed beyond what he had expected. He would have to refresh his knowledge of the neighborhood again.

Despite the slight difficulty making his way through town due to the transformation of the area, Kiritsugu was able to find the hotel he was looking for.

---o---

Kiritsugu entered room 73, following his associate.

Hisau Maiya was, in a way, Kiritsugu's apprentice.

Anyway, they have known each other for over 10 years. She was still a young girl when they had met, but since she wasn't a child anymore, she had sharpened her sagacity as a characteristic; when, with that type of beauty, normal people would tire easily, but Kiritsugu was the opposite. She was a woman who constantly saw the world as it was, and could give out an accurate judgment, just as merciless as Kiritsugu, and, or rare occasion, even more so than him. With her, Kiritsugu didn't have to be ashamed of his foul play or detestable tactics. This could give him some semblance of ease, and peace of mind.

After briefing Kiritsugu on the situation in Fuyuki, and about the occurrence at the Tohsaka mansion the night prior Kiritsugu's arrival in Japan, Maiya asked Kiritsugu what he thought of it.

"It's a setup," decided Kiritsugu, eyes still focused on the TV screen showing Assassin's demise to a gold-armored servant. "It's going too well."

"Maybe so," said Maiya. "But why would Assassin's master agree to a plan wherein his servant is eliminated?"

"I don't know," Kiritsugu replied. "What of the master?"

"His name is Kotomine Kirei. He's under the Church's protection now; he went to the overseer a few hours after Assassin was killed."

As he heard the name, Kiritsugu stiffened. Kiritsugu had done research on the other masters as well, and their affiliations. He had found none remarkable.

However, ever since he had summoned the dual servants, he felt a sense of imminent disaster whenever he heard the name.

Kiritsugu thought over this new information for a while, before saying:

"Send a familiar to the Church. I want you to keep an eye on this Kotomine person."


	3. Chapter 3: Exposure

Typemoon owns everything. In this story, at least.

**Fuyuki Airport**

Even under the same frigid wind of winter, the one of Japan was nothing compared to the intensity of that surrounding the Einzbern castle. Looking up at the soft sunlight of the early afternoon, Irisviel von Einzbern feels her heart lighten.

"So, this is the country Kiritsugu was born in," muttered Irisviel to herself, marveling at the sights of the city. "…This is Japan…"

It was a good place. Although she was able to get to know the place with pictures and such, Irisviel felt refreshed, smelling the foreign air.

Coming to Japan posing as a passenger, she couldn't bring dresses for the castle, but had to bring more common clothing as much as possible, to at least blend in with the crowd. With short heeled boots and a knee-long skirt, her movements felt as light as if she was reborn.

Nonetheless, to an Einzbern who lived a secluded life, oblivious of the common sense of the outside world, the clothing she thought would be fit for blending in was very off. Her silk blouse, her knee-high long boots, her casual coat with silver fox fur, everything came straight out of a high class display window; it was very visible that she was a rare gem from a particular birthplace with a particular tailoring. They were clothes clearly fit for a fashion model, but to Irisviel, who grew up surrounded by polished jewelry, it seemed simple enough; even, Irisviel had indeed considered it a camouflage for blending in with the townspeople, but it was simply impossible for a beauty such as her to disappear in the general public to begin with.

As Irisviel stared around her, eyes wide with excitement, a hand fell on her shoulder.

"Ahhh, jeez, Irisviel," said a deep voice from behind Irisviel, surprising her. "It's no big deal. Besides, we should get to Einzbern Manor, already, and contact Kiritsugu."

One of the servants, the one dressed in red, was looking around with a bored expression on his face.

"Besides," the knight added. "You see these kinds of things all the time, don't you? An Einzbern definitely doesn't have trouble paying for vacations, right?"

Irisviel blushed, and looked down, mumbling.

"Could you repeat that?" asked the servant. "I didn't catch it."

Irisviel looked up at the red knight, and said, "…this is my first time."

"Huh?" was the genius reaction.

"—as you know," continued Irisviel, looking away, "By being designed to be taken over by the Grail, I have little knowledge of this world. Of course I also know about this land that will become a battlefield. But… the only thing I have ever seen of the world outside the Einzbern castle are pictures that Kiritsugu has shown me."

"Eh…Well," began the knight. "I _guess _we can go around the town for a while…"

Her eyes lighting up, Irisviel asked, "…Really?"

The tall servant sighed, nodding.

"Wait," interrupted the other servant, Arturia, before Irisviel and the first servant could reach the airport's exit. "Are you sure? Shouldn't we establish contact with Kiritsugu first, and work out a plan?"

Irisviel's smile fell, and Irisviel mumbled something that sounded like "…Well…yes…at the manor on the outskirts…"

The red knight, frowning at Irisviel's disappointed expression, took action.

"Don't worry, Arturia," he said, while tugging Irisviel's and Arturia's luggage out the crowded airport. "We'll just look around for a while, and then we can go meet up with Kiritsugu."

Arturia, frowning at the red knight's carefree attitude, hissed, "Don't call me by my true name!"

The other servant just smirked, continuing into the bustling city.

---o---

After dropping the bags off in the car provided by the Einzberns, Arturia, Irisviel, and the still unknown knight, went to go sightseeing.

On their way out of the underground parking complex, Irisviel asked a question.

"Alright, so, you're true name is Arturia, right?" Irisviel asked the female servant, who nodded. "And you… well, seeing as you can't remember your true name, I'll just call you Saber, for now, and I'll call Arturia by her true name, is that ok?"

Though uncomfortable with the notion of being called by her true name, Arturia knew that the logical thing to do was agree with Irisviel. It would be confusing if both she and the other servant were called Saber, and it would be rude to call the other servant 'you', or something like that.

As if reading Arturia's mind, though, Irisviel smiled, and said, "Don't worry. Saber's going to be supporting you from afar, anyway, Arturia, so I can call you Saber while we're in combat."

The red knight thought about this for a while, before nodding, and saying, "Its fine with me."

As they found themselves out of the parking lot and out in the open city, Irisviel set off, looking around her as she made her way deeper into the city.

Arturia was uneasy, though, fully alert, as if expecting an enemy attack could come at any time.

Also, all the stares directed at her also felt… _awkward. _

She, the red kni— no, _Saber, _and Irisviel easily drew all the attention in the middle of the business district.

Irisviel, full of dignity, with her shimmering silver hair and cashmere coat, by no means pompous, but definitely attention-grabbing, was walking alongside Saber, who had an exasperated expression on his face.

On Saber's other side was Arturia, dressed in a dress that Irisviel had persuaded her to wear. Though it was true that it would be impractical to walk around the town dressed in her battle garb, Arturia couldn't help but frown on the dress that Irisviel had picked for her.

Irisviel and Saber had said that it looked good on her. Irisviel had a smile on her face, then, as if she was enjoying herself, while Saber had a teasing smirk on his face, which had made Arturia frown, and blush a little.

Shaking the memory away, Arturia continued walking, before she felt a stare settling on her. This stare was… different, in a way, when compared to the others that the three had been receiving ever since they had left the airport.

This stare was curious, not jealous.

When she looked around, however, she could not see a threat, nor could she sense a servant other than Saber nearby.

Puzzled, Arturia looked up at Saber, only to realize that it was him staring at her.

Tilting her head and frowning in confusion, she asked, "Why are you staring at me?"

Saber just smirked and looked away.

Arturia was about to ask again, louder, when…

"Hey," called Irisviel, still looking around excitedly. "Saber, Arturia, let's go to the beach!"

Almost simultaneously, the two servants sighed.

---o---

On one end of the bridge crossing Mion River, there is a vast seaside park.

Late that night, three figures could be spotted making their way along the shore. The wind coming in from the sea was blowing softly, uninterrupted, blowing Irisviel's long, silver hair around, like the trail from a shooting star.

Here, most people hated the chill of winter nights, and only came in the summer, but Irisviel, who was looking at the sea for the very first time, did not care at all, the cold she was used to being much harsher.

"Eh," muttered Saber, looking around at the deserted park. "It's so eerie…"

Arturia looked around, as well, and said, "We should have come here while it wasn't dark…"

Simply looking at the sea, Irisviel was unconcerned, keeping her gaze on the horizon that had sunk into the dark long ago.

"Its fine," Irisviel said, smiling as she listened to the roar of the waves. "The sea is beautiful at night, as well. It mirrors the night sky."

As she had enjoyed exploring the city, Irisviel's cheeks were flushed. She looked more like a teenager having fun just walking around aimlessly, rather than a married woman with a child, with her innocent smile.

"I really had no idea that walking through town with you two would be such an enjoyable experience."

"Oh, really, now?" asked Saber, nonchalantly. "Well, we're really glad you had fun Irisviel… But we have to get to work, now."

Just as Arturia was about to ask Saber what he meant, she felt it as well.

"An enemy servant is near," she and Saber said at the same time.


	4. Chapter 4: First Encounter, Part 1

_**Fate/stay Night and Fate/zero belong to someone who is, obviously, not me.**_

---o---

The sensation didn't change. From undercover, Saber could still feel the enemy's presence, as if the servant wasn't even trying to hide the waves of mana coming off of him.

"Heh," chuckled Saber, circling around the warehouse district, in order cut off any possible path of escape for the enemy. "What is this guy thinking, luring Saber, the strongest class, and two of them, to boot?"

He, Arturia, and Irisviel had split up when they sensed the enemy's presence.

The plan was for him to cut off any possible escape route, and then close in from behind the enemy, while Arturia and Irisviel attacked head on from the front.

As Saber jumped to the next building however, a thought occurred to him.

Nobody knew that there were two Sabers in the war, aside from Kiritsugu, Irisviel, and the Sabers themselves.

At this sudden epiphany, Saber smirked, and stopped.

"Maybe I'll just watch, for a while…"

---o---

Arturia stopped running, and put Irisviel back down on her own feet.

They were now on the west bank of the seaside park, surrounded by warehouses completely devoid of life. The block, which contains harbor facilities, also played the role of a wall that separates the eastern industrial area from Shinto. At night, the traffic ceases, and street lights shine pointlessly on the street and sidewalks. Unmanned derrick cranes loom over the scene, pointed toward the dark sea.

This was definitely one of the best places for Servants to clash.

Arturia and Irisviel walked forward, like duelists going to the place of agreement, on the four lane road.

The enemy revealed himself.

There was a tall shadow standing in the middle of the empty street, emitting outrageous amounts of mana. The man was obviously more than human.

Arturia and Irisviel stop about 10 meters away from the man, finally getting a good look at the enemy.

He was a handsome man, with long, quirky hair, roughly combed back. His appearance would charm anyone with the first glance.

More importantly, his weapon was a two-meter long spear, making his class obvious.

Lancer.

However, the strange thing was, he did not have just that one lance.

Along with the spear Lancer was holding loosely in his right hand, he was also carrying a short spear, three times shorter than the other, in his left hand.

The obvious stance for fighting with a lance is, of course, to hold the weapon with both hands. What you can do with swords, is incomprehensible with spears.

Lancer's weapons were wrapped from end to end with a cloth, fastened in place by what looked like an amulet. It was probably to prevent Lancer's true identity from being revealed too early.

"How nice of you to come," said Lancer, loud enough for Arturia and Irisviel to hear. "All of those parading around today in the town have only backed away… You are the only one of valor who answered my challenge."

As Lancer ran his eyes over Arturia, he continued:

"That fighting spirit… Am I correct in assuming that you are the servant Saber?"

"You are," replied Arturia with a straight face. "And you… you must be Lancer, correct?"

"Indeed," said Lancer, with an amused expression on his face. "Hm. It is unusual to exchange names with an opponent prior to a battle. This is a rare privilege."

"Indeed it is," replied Arturia, loosening her impudence a little. "Our battle isn't one of honor, to being with. You yourself are raising your weapon for your master of this era, are you not?"

"Correct," Lancer answered in a bitter tone.

There was a short silence, before Arturia said, "Well, you wished for a battle…"

Lancer picked up the spear on his right, spinning it once, so that the tip was pointed at Arturia, and raised the short spear in his left hand, in a defensive position.

"Anytime, servant Saber."

Arturia centered her mana, and conjured her armor. The mana surge enveloped Arturia's dress like a swirling tornado— and the next instant, her body was wrapped in her blue dress, and her silver armor.

"Arturia…"

Swallowing nervously, Irisviel whispered from behind Arturia, low enough that Lancer couldn't hear. She could feel the intent to kill released by both servants, and the atmosphere around them was strained by that tension. There was no interrupting this battle.

But she couldn't just stand there and watch.

"…Take care. I can support you by healing your injuries, but that is all I can do…"

Arturia nodded, and was about to turn around to face Lancer, but stopped.

"I can take care of Lancer. But the enemy master might have something up his sleeve, and he's nowhere to be seen," said Arturia, before adding. "I trust you to watch my back, at least until Saber arrives to support us."

As Arturia turned and started moving towards Lancer, Irisviel pocketed the transmitter that Kiritsugu had given her. She had activated it when they had arrived at the warehouse district, and made sure that Arturia didn't see, sure that she was going to protest to Kiritsugu's choice of strategy: Using the servants as a diversion and taking the master out from behind.

However, as much as possible… Irisviel wanted Arturia to end the battle before Kiritsugu arrived.

---o---

After receiving the signal from Irisviel, Kiritsugu and Maiya raced towards the warehouse district in a van.

The van was fitted with surveillance equipment, and on a small table in the back of the van lay the equipment Kiritsugu and Maiya were to use while surveying the skirmish in the warehouse district, and, for intervention, in case the situation got out of hand.

As Maiya was driving the van, Kiritsugu was in the back, rechecking the equipment.

Among the equipment in front of Kiritsugu, there was not a single one that a magus would find interesting. Not a single ritualistic catalyst, elixir, or spiritual container. The equipment was top-of-the-line, and highly efficient, but, apart from that, they were nothing but regular human technology. Nothing that could store mana.

The use of this sort of weaponry, this 'heresy' was what earned Kiritsugu the title 'Magus Killer.'

The weakness of the people who call themselves magi is, more often than not, negligence, from their own arrogance. They believe in their own knowledge, and the mysteries of their art. The only things they deem as a threat are other magi, and, should such a thing exist, God.

This is why, in battle, their senses are tuned to detect magecraft, and nothing else. They can detect any amount, even the smallest trickle of magic in one's blood. They train their perception of magecraft, and think of counter-measures to the magic of their enemies.

As a result of their fixation on magic, they look over any attack that is purely physical, or is void of magecraft, thinking them to be secondary to the threat of enemy magi. Until they have fallen victim to a purely physical attack, they have no fear of the sharpest weapon, or the fastest bullet. However, before anyone is even able to harm a magus, the strength of magecraft can paralyze any opponent, create deceptive illusions, or raise defensive fields, able to prevent or negate any attack using physical force.

However, they hold nothing but disdain for technology. Most magi cannot recognize what a human who doesn't rely on magecraft can do.

Kiritsugu has reached a conclusion from the numerous battles he has partaken in against magi. That is, magi are prone to attacks that they do not expect. Specifically, purely physical attacks.

Planning to apply his experience for this battle between magi, Kiritsugu has had a specific set of equipment prepared and shipped to Japan ahead of him.

Among them, the rifle lying on its side on the table is what gives out the strongest smell of oil. The rifle was a work of art, the crystallization of the newest technology, in the body of a large weapon.

The rifle is a Walther WA2000, a semi-automatic sniper rifle with a total length under a meter, its compact size the result of its bullpup structure. It uses .300 Winchester Magnum shells, giving it an effective range of around a kilometer. In the modern world, it is a rifle of the highest class, with the highest performance. The high cost of $12,000 was a result of there being only 154 WA2000s ever produced.

However, instead of the standard sights made by Smith & Bender, Kiritsugu has instead installed a pair of lined up devices on a special scope mount, one lined up with the barrel, and the other on the left, lined up with the first scope.

The first scope was one of the latest in night vision technology, used by the US Armed Forces, an AN/PVS-4. The scope was made of some sort of high sensitivity video camera, a simple electrical light amplifier with a lens, raising the brightness level. It multiplies the range vision by 3.6, allowing sight up to 600 yards away under the moonlight, or 400 yards under the starlight.

The second scope, attached to the side of the AN/PVS-4, was a simple infrared heat display scope. This one was also suited for night vision, but the image display doesn't amplify the brightness, but, instead, displays the heat patterns of a subject. It can perceive temperature differences from -5° to 60°C up to 200 meters with a 1.8 magnification level.

Having earlier on discovered that use of magic circuits by magi changed the temperature of the user, Kiritsugu had studied and trained so hard, that he was now able to tell, through the thermal display, whether the target was a normal person or a magus.

The rifle, along with its two scopes, weighs over 10 kilograms. When compared to magecraft, this state-of-the-art weapon definitely falls behind. Magecraft allows you to see better in the dark, and it is also possible to detect the position of an enemy magus.

However, with this gun, Kiritsugu is able to observe, and attack, without releasing any prana.

In the dark, unable to detect the enemy, the possibility of being hit from several hundred meters away is a situation a regular soldier would not find incomprehensible, but magi are complete novices to such situations. Magi who dabble in arts full of mysteries beyond human intellect cannot relate to the narrower world of regular humans.

As Kiritsugu checked the sniper up from the table, checking the smoothness of the breech lock, and the weight of the trigger, Maiya looked back from the driver's seat.

"It's sighted for shooting at a range of 500 meters. Is that alright?"

Being the person who had brought the equipment into Japan, Maiya had also been the one to configure the weapon's settings, and the one to maintain the weapons prior to Kiritsugu's arrival in Japan.

"It's ok," replied Kiritsugu, as he placed the rifle back down. "500 meters is good enough."

He would've liked to check the alignment, and get a grasp of how the shooting was, but with Japan's policy on guns, just the fact that the gun had been brought into the country was amazing.

The other rifle on the table, for Maiya's use, was a Steyr AUG assault rifle. It's standard sight has also been replaced with a night vision scope like Kiritsugu's, but it weighed less then half the weight of Kiritsugu's rifle.

Further more, a Calico M950 SMG was ready for Kiritsugu's use as a sidearm, or a weapon for close combat. The compact size was similar to a large handgun's and the reinforced plastic makes it look more like a toy than a weapon. However, the Calico was built with a helical magazine feed system, allowing it to carry 50 9mm Parabellum rounds, with a rate of fire of 700 per minute.

The rest include a collection of stun, smoke, and hand grenades, as well as some plastic explosive. However, Kiritsugu wanted to check his most important asset.

Almost like she read Kiritsugu's mind, Maiya said, "In the drawer."

Nodding, Kiritsugu opened the drawer in the table's side, and picked up the box inside.

Laying the box on the table, he unfastens the clasps, opening the lid with an expert hand.

Inside the box was a handgun; Thompson Center's Contender. A grip and fore end carved out of walnut, with a barrel 14 inches long.

The only 'modern' parts on the Contender were the trigger and the percussion hammer; there was no cylinder or slide found on the simple exterior, which makes it reminiscent of a percussion pistol from the last hours of the Middle Ages.

The Contender is actually a single shot pistol with a break-open cartridge chamber. The gun was essentially a hunting pistol, but Kiritsugu has chosen this simple weapon as his 'Mystic Code,' a weapon through which he uses his magecraft. He has also switched the gun's barrel or the use of much larger .30-06 Springfield rounds. The .30-06 is stronger than even the hand cannon class of a magnum bullet, and, discharged from a handgun, it would make it incredibly powerful.

However, the true menace of this gun is in the use of Kiritsugu's 'magical bullets,' bullets sealed with powdered bones from Kiritsugu himself.

These bullets are Kiritsugu's last resort, should he come up against a magus who has managed to escape death by physical means.

As Kiritsugu's thoughts drift to the past, during the times he has used his 'special weapon,' Maiya called from the driver's seat.

"Get ready. We're almost there."

---o---

All Irisviel could do was stare at the battle in front of her.

She knew it to be a merciless duel that could only have taken place in a long ago era.

Armored warriors, battling with all their strength, light reflecting of off their weapons.

However…

…the immense amounts of mana, and the intense heat that the battle generated were different.

If it had merely been a clash between the cold steel of weapons, then what was the mighty torrent of wind that accompanied the swinging of weapons, threatening to destroy everything it touches?

The impact of feet landing cracks the asphalt of the street.

The wind from swinging weapons cuts a lamppost in half.

Irisviel could no longer see the servants' individual movements. She could only feel the after shocks of the battle between the two.

The sheets of iron on the warehouse walls were ripped away by the wind, as if it were merely tin foil.

The wind was moaning.

The battle continued.

Irisviel watched on.

---o---

_**Yeah. So. That's it.**_

_**Right.**_


	5. Chapter 5: First Encounter, Part 2

_**I think I might've forgotten to put the disclaimer on previous chapters, but here it is:**_

_**I don't own Fate/Stay Night. If I did, I would be doing something else. No idea what, though.**_

---o---

A small storm raged on the empty street, destroying everything in its wake.

Just hand-to-hand combat between the two servants, Lancer and Arturia, was enough to destroy their immediate surroundings.

Claps of thunder tore the air apart, shockwaves from the two shattering the earth.

---o---

Combat was something that came easily to Arturia. As a knight, she had braved through countless battles, fighting as smoothly as one would use a knife and fork.

However, she could not comprehend this servant's fighting style.

A 'spear' should be a weapon held with both hands.

It is common knowledge.

This led Arturia to believe that Lancer using two spears was merely a means to confuse the enemy.

One of them must be Lancer's true weapon, so she was trying to discern which it was.

Arturia was paying very close attention to each of Lancer's attacks, trying to distinguish which spear was his true weapon. If she could tell the difference between his 'feint' and 'solid' attacks, her chances of winning would increase drastically.

Yet—

Her attack deflected for the third time in a row, Arturia stepped back, looking for another opening.

"What's wrong, Saber?" asked Lancer, raising his eyebrow. "Your attacks aren't really working."

Arturia had no response to Lancer's taunt. After already thirty exchanges, she had not managed to hit Lancer even once.

Suddenly, Lancer ran at Arturia, swinging the lance in his right hand in a wide arc. The shaft covered a wide area, swung with as much speed and force if Lancer had used both hands.

However, because of a lance's own length, a momentary gap in Lancer's defense between attacks was inevitable.

As Arturia took advantage of Lancer's lapse in defense, the shorter spear in Lancer's left hand came up to block her attack.

Using two spears at the same time, making no apparent feints, Lancer was using his dual spears as if they were one.

Arturia was quivering from having such a skilled adversary on the battlefield.

_This man is good!_

---o---

Kiritsugu silently set the Walther up on one of the mountainous stacks of shipping containers piled on the port, taking in the battle through the rifle's scope.

Through the scope's infrared display, in the middle of cool shades of black and blue, bright red and orange shapes stood out. Two were in the middle of the street going through the warehouse district, moving rapidly, clashing with each other. The image of the two on the infrared display fused together, flaring up like a bonfire.

As Kiritsugu looked at the surrounding area, however, two more heat patterns appeared. One of them was standing in the middle of the street, observing the battle…

…The other was concealed on the warehouse roofs, presumably observing the battle from afar.

It was quite easy; identifying which of the two would be the target for assassination.

After all, it was Irisviel standing on the road, watching over Arturia. She had said, after all, that, as the decoy master of the servants, she could not hide away, but instead fight a fair battle bravely, out in the open.

Lurking in the dark, Kiritsugu smiled.

It was the best possible situation suited for his methods.

Lancer's master probably relied on illusions, or other presence concealing thaumaturgy to conceal his presence. This would usually be enough, but he didn't consider that this could easily be countered by the usual of electronic cameras.

Kiritsugu contacted Maiya, on the other side of the warehouse district, with his radio.

"Maiya, the master is hiding on a rooftop, northeast to Irisviel's position," murmured Kiritsugu, just loud enough for Maiya to hear him over the radio. "Can you see him?"

"No," the radio crackled, carrying Maiya's response. "It's a blind spot from my position."

Kiritsugu cursed silently. He had wanted to ensure the success of the attack with a crossfire, if possible. Unfortunately, it would have to be up to Kiritsugu alone to take out the master. It was not a large problem, however, as the master was barely 300 meters away. With Kiritsugu's skills, and the power and range of the .300 Winchester round, Kiritsugu could take the target's life with just one bullet.

Taking one last sweep of the area before he took the shot, Kiritsugu saw something that put a hole in his plan.

"Maiya," Kiritsugu whispered into the radio. "Up on the crane…"

"Yes, I see him from here," was the response. "It's just as you thought."

Earlier, Kiritsugu had chosen not to use the aforementioned crane, the rationalization being, that, if it was the best position to look over the battle, someone would also choose it as a vantage point. Kiritsugu had instead chosen to position Maiya and himself with a view on the battle, as well as the crane.

This would not be a major problem, as Kiritsugu could've taken the observer out, as well, with the sniper rifle. That is, however, if the observer were human.

Kiritsugu gazed upon the pale green shape on the scope's display. Though it was hard to believe, the robed servant, wearing a skull mask over his face, was, without a doubt, the same servant annihilated at the Tohsaka residence…

Assassin.

Now, Kiritsugu was faced with a dilemma.

If Kiritsugu chose to eliminate Lancer's master now, the target would die almost instantly. However, it would expose Kiritsugu's position. Although Assassin is the weakest class when it comes to combat strength, he is nonetheless a servant. As a magus, Kiritsugu would not stand a chance in such a fight.

He could not count on Arturia to help him. Assassin was much closer to Kiritsugu, and Arturia didn't even know that he was present.

Also, Arturia was in the middle of a battle. Even though servants lose their mana supply when their master is killed, the servant will remain materialized for a few hours.

The other servant, Saber, was nowhere to be found. He was presumably circling around, to ensure that Lancer and his master would have nowhere to run, or to ambush any servants that decide to intervene.

There was only one thing left— the Command Spells.

If a servant agrees with the master's order without resistance, the Command Spells could boost a servant's potential and accomplish a 'miracle.' With it, Kiritsugu could easily summon Arturia or Saber to his side instantly to hold Assassin off.

However, summoning Arturia would leave Irisviel defenseless, right in front of Lancer.

After thinking through the different possible outcomes, Kiritsugu finally came to a conclusion.

Lancer's master would die tonight.

---o---

Until now, Lancer and Arturia's battle was preceding more like a contest for fun, rather than a serious battle between two Heroic Spirits.

However, as each of the combatants was measuring the other's skill thoroughly, it has begun to look like an open display of strength.

Of course, even if it was just a 'test round'…

The avenue was a miserable wreck, deep furrows carved into the asphalt. Two whole warehouses have already collapsed, and the surround hundred square meters were torn up. The battlefield look almost like it had been struck by an earthquake.

In the middle of the wreckage, still without a single scratch, stood Lancer and Arturia, glaring at each other, preparing for the next exchange of blows.

Neither showed any sign of exhaustion.

"Coming so far, without even breaking a sweat," Lancer said, mana gathering into the tips of his spears. "You're one heck of a woman."

"That's an unnecessary compliment, Lancer," replied Arturia, a smile on her lips. "Although I do not know your name, your skill and your manners… You honor me. I am thankful for that."

As Lancer was about to reply, a disembodied voice spoke out.

"Enough of this playtime, Lancer," said the voice, seemingly coming from all directions. "Do not drag the battle out any further. You may use your Noble Phantasm."

"Understood, master," was the low reply.

Lancer changed his stance.

He dropped the short spear in his left hand, and gripped the longer spear with both hands, peeling the cover off, revealing a deep crimson spear.

"—Well, that's about it, Saber," said Lancer in a low voice, channeling mana into the spear, in larger amounts than before. "From here on out, I'll be going all out."

---o---

Two kilometers away, on top of a skyscraper, Saber surveyed the situation.

Arturia and Lancer were currently neck-to-neck, but Lancer's Noble Phantasm might turn the tide.

Saber reinforced his eyes further, and strained his eyes, looking long and hard at the surrounding buildings.

He had seen Kiritsugu and Maiya when they had positioned themselves nearly half an hour ago. He kept looking around, hoping to find Lancer's master, and take him out.

"Gah… He must be using some sort of illusion," concluded Saber, as he gave up, and turned his attention back to the battle.

As Saber watched, he suddenly sensed a massive mana surge, moving fast, heading straight towards the warehouse district.

"What the hell?" Saber cursed, preparing to intercept the… whatever it was.

Rapidly tracing his longbow, and an arrow, he took aim…

…before he was yanked away by an unseen force.

---o---

Kiritsugu flipped the safety off.

He took careful aim, centering the crosshairs on the target's chest, where the heart should be. He took a deep breath, and held it in as he prepared to take the shot.

Right between heartbeats, he squeezed the trigger.

As he fired, however, he sensed a massive surge of mana, coming straight at the battle between Lancer and Arturia.

Sensing it as well, Lancer's master turned to see what it was.

The gun fired.

---o---


End file.
